"Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Rear Admiral Krieg of Marine Headquarters. I happened to be passing by, so I thought I'd drop by to offer my greetings—and perhaps a small request."
Vinsmoke Judge, King of the Germa Kingdom, narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "A request? Is this an official mission from the World Government?"
He likely assumed Krieg was acting as a middleman for another war-profiteering contract.
"No, this is a personal matter. I've long admired the scientific weaponry used by the Germa Kingdom and Germa 66. I was wondering if you'd be willing to part with some of your technology... for a price, of course."
Krieg knew the chances were slim, but he figured it was worth asking. Germa's tech was unique, and while Vegapunk was the gold standard, having a secondary source of specialized gear never hurt.
"Technology, you say..." Judge hummed, stroking his upturned beard.
Germa's gear was Judge's life's work. Normally, he would have scoffed at a mere Rear Admiral, but Krieg wasn't "normal."
Judge had seen the data: the leader of the "Red Seagulls," a man with the combat power of a Vice Admiral and a rising reputation as an independent powerhouse.
"If it's a matter of purchase, I can offer a significant sum," Krieg added. Between his high salary and his 30% cut of pirate bounties, he was sitting on a mountain of Berries.
"Hmph. I have no need for your money," Judge declared, his eyes glinting. "However, I will consider it—on one condition. You must grant me a request of my own."
The scene shifted from the ominous, secret-society throne room to a massive training field outside the royal castle. Judge dismissed the rank-and-file soldiers with a few sharp words, clearing the area.
In the center of the field stood the massive, armored Krieg. Facing him were five children: a pink-haired girl and four boys with hair like a box of crayons—Red, Blue, Gold, and Green.
"Uh, Your Majesty? Are you sure about this?" Krieg asked, scratching his cheek.
"I am. Children! You may go all out. Do not hold back!"
Judge's goal was simple: stress-test his masterpieces. Reiju, the eldest, was only eleven. The quadruplets were a mere eight years old.
Normally, children this age wouldn't stand a chance against a grown man, let alone a Marine officer. But these weren't normal children.
They were the culmination of the "Bloodline Factor" theory—modified humans designed to overwhelm seasoned soldiers.
If the Admiral accidentally kills one, I'll just use it as leverage in my next negotiation with the Government, Judge thought coldly.
The first to move was the red-haired boy, Ichiji. "Hey, old man! Father said we can go all out!"
He lunged with a punch, crackling with sparks. Krieg stepped aside with exaggerated flair. "Whoa! Easy there, kid!"
"Ha! You think a mere human can keep up with us?!" Niji, the blue-haired brother, swung a kick aimed at Krieg's ribs. Krieg caught the leg with his forearm.
"Impressive. You've got some real weight behind those strikes," Krieg noted, before gently shoving the boy back.
Suddenly, Krieg felt a heavy thud against his spine. "Yonji! Don't look away, old man! Your back was wide open!" The green-haired boy had landed a solid punch.
However, Reiju, the eldest sister, stood back with a frown. "Everyone! Stop fighting individually! This man is stronger than he looks!"
She tried to coordinate them, but the boys were too arrogant to listen.
"A regular human winning against us? Impossible," Ichiji scoffed, ignoring her. "He blocked my kick... he's annoying!" Niji growled, blinded by his own ego.
"Actually... this guy is really hard," Yonji muttered, being the only one to notice a strange density to Krieg's body. He retreated toward Reiju.
"What's the plan, Reiju?" asked the blond boy, Sanji, standing tentatively beside her.
"Yonji, what did you feel when you hit him?" Reiju asked.
"I hit him with the same force I use to spar with Ichiji, but it felt like punching a mountain."
Sanji chimed in, trembling slightly under Yonji's glare. "I... I read in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia about powers like that. Maybe he's an ability user?"
"It's too early to assume," Reiju countered. "I've heard rumors that the Marines have a technique to harden their bodies into iron."
Across the field, Krieg was laughing, playfully dodging Ichiji and Niji's erratic attacks, occasionally tossing them into the air and catching them like a doting uncle.
Finally, the children reached a decision. Yonji was the first to charge. "Take this! Stay still for a second!!"
He used his superhuman strength to grab Krieg's right leg, pinning it to the ground.
"Oh? The punchy kid again? ...Damn, you really are strong for a pipsqueak!" Krieg smiled, genuinely impressed by the child's grip.
Seeing the opening, Sanji scrambled up Krieg's back. Unlike his siblings, he had no special powers—just a normal boy's strength—, but he climbed with everything he had, eventually wrapping his arms around Krieg's head to obscure his vision.
"Hey now, blondie. This isn't going to be enough to take me down," Krieg chuckled.
"Just watch, you big gorilla! This is Reiju's plan!!" Sanji yelled.
"A plan?"
Suddenly, Reiju appeared directly in front of Krieg's face. She put her palms to her lips and blew a fine, shimmering mist into his eyes.
"MY EYES!!!"
Krieg let out a comedic yell, dropping to one knee as he rubbed his face. Reiju's "Bloodline Factor" was Poison, and while she hadn't developed a lethal dose yet, she could produce a potent irritant.
"We did it! Reiju!!" Sanji cheered, falling off Krieg's back but landing with a grin.
"Not yet! Ichiji! Niji! Yonji! Attack now while he's blinded!!"
She turned to her brothers, but her heart sank. Ichiji and Niji were curled in fetal positions on the grass nearby.
"Wait, Reiju... he kept... tossing us... so high..." Ichiji wheezed. "I think... I'm gonna... be sick..." Niji groaned, completely motion-sick from Krieg's "playful" aerial tosses.
Krieg stood up, blinking rapidly as his tears washed away the irritant. He let out a hearty laugh.
"I see. One to pin the legs, one to lock the head, and the ace comes in for the finish. A solid strategy! But you should have followed through on the opening."
Krieg moved like a blur. Before they could react, he scooped up the frustrated Yonji, the stunned Sanji, and a sighing Reiju, tossing them all gently into the air and catching them one by one.
The "monsters" of Germa had been treated like toddlers at a park.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: [email protected]/Master_Studios677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.